The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-10-21
Tbe shaking Island.

swamp. lleIe "SAS
throe Honpo men besides myself, and
Sam. our negro cook and factotum'
When we started ont on our hunt
ing expedition it was our intention 10
vt along the edge OF the swamp
.,.thout attempting to penetrate the
interior. The excitement OF the chase
and the novelty OF our surroundings
gradually led into the swamp. For
Two days we had observed " light
curling smoke some miles ahead OF us
and we finally agreed to push on and
investigate it. II have seen the same
thing in one OF the big Florida
swamps," said Dupont, one OF our
nartv, land it is believed down there
that the smoke comes from an inter
nal fire underground"
As DUR way was through morasses,
nuicksands, stagnant pools ana
tangled underground, our progress
was slow. We had to keep a sharp
lookout for snakes and alllgators,
and altogether u work OF eXpLora,
ton was exceedingly difficult, and
somewhat hazardous.
at is an Island!" shouted dupont.
We had reached the spot at last. In
tbe middle of a lake, whose black wa
ters were ripping in a curious fashion,
was an island Of perhaps POO acres,
covered with scrubby bushes: All
g the island thin columns OF brown
smoke could be seen slowly rising.
Il don't understand what Keeps the
water disturbed" said n otthe men;
there is no breeze"
Hit am de debbil's ownpot," SAID
black Sam, looking wild-eyed andnerV-
Gus.
We uuieted Sam, and put him to
work with the others constructing a
rude raft out OF the dead trees which
were living around in abundance. In
a short time the raft vas ready, and
we padded ourselves to the island.
1T shakes" exclaimed Dupont,
who WINS the first to land.
Sam was the next one on shore, but
he at once stepped back on the raft.
DE Lawd hab mussyl" he said, II
KANT stan dat"
We all followed Dupont and found
that the island vas trembling quite
perceptibly. 49,.
perhaps it is a floating island"
suggested one OF my companions.
ut is nothing OF the kind" | re-
marked. II have heard OF it before,
but we are doubtless the first white
men who have landed here in forty
years"
"What do you know about it?"
asked Dupont, quickly.
Simply this. When Sir Charles
Lyell, the famous British geologist,
visited this country, he explored the
swamp and examined this very
spot. He found it shaking all the
time, with assures in the earth con-
stantly opening and closing, with this
same peculiar smoke rising from them,
He came to the conclusion that
the crust of che earth was
thinner right here than in any
other locality of the globe. The vol
canic action near the surface cause:
the smoke, and also the continue
bubbling of the lake. This may have
been going on for centuries. YoC
know that the Indian word Okefino
kee means trembling EARTH"
"Well, l can't say that Icars tt
camp here" said Dupont, shut as W,
are here, we are here, we might as vel
explore q little.
This was the general opinion, and
Sam was persuaded to leave his quar-
tiers on the RAFT and trust himself tC
the unstable land.
II have found d geyser; reported
one OF our explorers, who had beer
rambling about on his own hook.
Guided by him we went to a littl
spring of boiling water that was gush
ing forth near the centre of the island
With the water came Jets of steam
sand and bluemud. At this place tn
shaking was so violent that it made u
stagger, and we would hear under on
feet q muffied roar or rumble.
'Marse Ross, /" gasped Sam, II mus
git outer heah."
He made q run toward the raj:
when a small assure in the cart.
about a foot wide yawned in front&c
him. The poor fellow dropped on til
ground in speechless terror. w
helped him up and tried to reassur
him, but it was no use. As soon q
be was calm enough to walk he mad
q break for the raft.
"Sam is the only sensible fellow /
the party" said Dupont. "There
danger Of breaking q leg ia one {
thesfie ssures, andi1 don't see why
man could not be swallowed up
laughed at this. Sir Charles I've
had spoken OF the island as d remarl
able curiosity, but he had not predic
ed any serious outbreak Of the fore,
of nature.
"See that!p continued Dupont.
J / looked. The hsshre; which ha
frightened Sam he'd closed up cor
pletely. ! drew a long breath. In Il
midst OF such phenomena Il man ies
small. Before | could say anythri
there was a deafening roar, a thou
3 and cracks opened in the earth, ar
the smoke coming out of the grour
was so thick that we wers almo